godfather

/ˈɡɑdˌfɑðər/
noun
  1. A man who promises at a child's baptism to help raise the child in the Christian faith and to care for the child if the parents cannot.
    • The godfather attended every birthday party and school play.
    • She chose her uncle to be the godfather of her daughter.
    • My godfather gave me a silver cross for my baptism.
  2. A powerful leader of a criminal organization, especially the Mafia.
    • The police finally arrested the godfather of the crime syndicate.
    • He was known as the godfather of the city's underground gambling ring.
    • The movie 'The Godfather' tells the story of a Mafia family in New York.
  3. A person who is seen as the founder or most important figure in a particular field or movement.
    • He is considered the godfather of modern computer science.
    • She is the godfather of the local environmental movement.
    • The musician is often called the godfather of punk rock.
What does "godfather" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean